Fox exposes county woman to rabies

A Kershaw County woman exposed to rabies in the Camden area is undergoing post-exposure treatments after being bitten by a fox that tested positive for the disease, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reported today Thursday.

“To reduce the risk of getting rabies, we recommend that people avoid wild animals acting tame and tame animals acting wild,” Sue Ferguson of DHEC’s Bureau of Environmental Health Services said. “About 275 South Carolinians must undergo preventive treatment for rabies every year, with most exposures coming from bites or scratches by a rabid or suspected rabid animal. Wild animals carry the disease most often, but domestic pets can contract rabies as well.”

Ferguson said state law requires pet owners to have their pets regularly vaccinated against the disease.

“If you think you have been exposed to the rabies virus through a bite, scratch or the saliva of a possibly infected animal, immediately wash the affected area with plenty of soap and water,” she said. “Then be sure to get medical attention and report the incident to DHEC.”

There were 137 confirmed cases of animal rabies during 2012 in South Carolina. There have been 81 confirmed cases in animals statewide this year. This animal is the fourth to test positive this year from Kershaw County.